Most of us watch a cool TikTok or an inspiring YouTube video and give it a “like” or subscribe to the creator’s channel. Savvy online sellers have learned to use the Awin affiliate program to connect their brand to that kind of content to expand their global reach and attract discerning shoppers to their products.
You could think of affiliate marketing as a way to introduce luxury goods to your ideal customers through some of the most stylish people and publishers they follow. This could include bloggers, online magazines, shopping comparison sites, review sites, and more.
According to the 2022 Affiliate Marketing Benchmark Report, interest in this tactic for growing an eCommerce business grew 300% between 2017 and 2021. On average, it represents 9% of marketing budgets and is set to grow into a $13 billion industry this year.
Given that more than 10,000 firms are offering or specializing in such services, however, we’re going to focus on the Awin affiliate program. In this post, we’ll show why this is an opportunity worth pursuing. But first, what is Awin? Read on to find out.
What Is Awin?
Formed in 2017 following a rebrand of affiliate marketing firms Zanox and Affiliate Window, Awin has grown into an organization employing more than 1,200 people who work in 17 offices around the world.
What is Awin, though? In a recent post on Forbes, the company’s CEO Adam Ross describes Awin as a provider of pay-per-performance advertising. Its Awin affiliate program offers a way to streamline the process of working with publishers and influencers who have an audience that aligns with a brand’s target clientele. It offers an income stream to those creating the content while providing fashion and other retailers with steady sales.
How does Awin work?
If you’re wondering, ‘How does Awin work,’ the program is consistent with many similar affiliate marketing services.
Awin acts as a liaison between brands and publishers or creators, placing links to their eCommerce store on pages with content that interests its most coveted shoppers.
Imagine a fashion blogger has posted a guide to finding the perfect designer belt, for example. When readers click through links via the Awin product feed about belts that interest them, Awin pays the blogger a commission on behalf of the retailer for referring the traffic.
The answer to “How does Awin work,” therefore, is that it allows brands a simple way to outsource tasks such as link placement, recording transaction data, and managing commissions.
Benefits of using Awin in your Affiliate Marketing Strategy
Affiliate marketing not only lets online sellers increase their visibility across international markets. It can also deepen relationships with partners that can drive greater marketing results.
Just look at Polish fashion retailer Born2Be. In its publication The Awin Report a few years ago, the company showed how Born2Be was able to offer different incentives for publishers and influencers. These included an “introducers” level for those who brought their audiences’ attention to its products, while “retainers” gave a higher commission to those who generated traffic to best sellers, seasonal offers, and high-margin products.
The result was a 70% increase in sales targets achieved and a new customer rate of 45%.
What is a product data feed and how do affiliates use them?
Your affiliate marketing strategy can begin by setting up a product data feed. Instead of manually setting up and configuring links to each of your products, for instance, a data feed automatically conveys details about product names, sizes, colors, prices, and other attributes to the publishers in the Awin affiliate program.
A data feed is essential to successful affiliate marketing because it ensures your stock and inventory information is up to date, and that you can accelerate the process of connecting with premium affiliate partners.
How to create an Awin product feed
The process of creating an Awin product feed will vary somewhat depending on whether you’re working with an existing Google data feed, or integrating with an eCommerce platform such as Shopify. Fortunately, the company has provided the basic steps for Awin product feed development to get potential brand partners up to speed.
Rather than tackle this all on your own, however, there are organizations like Highstreet.io that can create and optimize Awin feeds that respond to specific business needs.
Affiliate marketing tools to help you win with Awin
A lack of experience in working with affiliate marketing services should never be a barrier to taking the next step.
Many brands gain greater confidence in moving forward with an opportunity like the Awin affiliate program by working with Highstreet.io, for instance. Our product feed management solutions and industry expertise can provide value at every stage of the journey. This includes marketplace integration services, as well as guidance on strategies to help your products stand out and increase conversions among your most coveted shoppers.
In today’s economy, every online seller is looking for a win. You might be able to get one by exploring affiliate marketing with Awin.
Learn more about Highstreet.io’s affiliate marketing service and reach out to us to get more information on how we can help you get started.